Challenge Cup line-ups: Thursday

The outcome of Challenge Cup Pool 3 is likely to be decided on Thursday when Newcastle host Brive in a battle for top spot.

The outcome of Challenge Cup Pool 3 is likely to be decided on Thursday when Newcastle host Brive in a battle for top spot.

Fixtures:Newcastle v BriveStade Stade FranÃ§ais v I Cavalieri Prato

Newcastle Falcons v BriveKingston Park Stadium, Newcastle

Newcastle Falcons have made nine changes to their side

Victory for either side will all but seal a place in the quarter-finals and Falcons boss Dean Richards has named a strong side for the visit of the French Top 14 outfit.

Skipper Will Welch replaces Andy Saull at openside flanker, while Richard Mayhew comes in for Mark Wilson in the back-row Sean Tomes gets the nod in the engine room alongside Scott MacLeod, with an unchanged front-row taking the field

Meanwhile, Richards has rung the changes in the backline with promising teenage winger Zach Kibirige handed a start The Teesside flyer, who is a product of Newcastle's academy, has three tries to his name in this season's competition including a brace during a man-of-the-match display away to Cammi Rugby Calvisano in Round 4

Stade FranÃ§ais will almost guarantee another European quarter-final with a bonus-point victory over Italian outfit I Cavalieri Prato on Thursday.

The Parisians took pole position in Pool 5 with a maximum-point success over London Irish in Round 4 and they now know that back-to-back repeats against Prato and lowly Lusitanos would guarantee a spot in the last eight.